<p>First time to visit Nashville & Vanderbilt. After the campus tours, we will have 3 hours to hang out at Vanderbilt and explore Nashville. D would love to visit area that has a music scene but assume it's pretty quiet on a Monday evening. Ideas for a fun casual restaurant would be appreciated. Possibly a close museum or shopping area that we could stroll and try to stay cool would also be nice.</p>
<p>We visited Vanderbilt this summer and enjoyed touring the Country Music Hall of Fame.
It’s a quick drive from the Vanderbilt campus, and we had a great lunch at the cafe on the ground floor.</p>
<p>This question comes up fairly often on the Vanderbilt forum; you can post it there or do a search. These threads might be helpful:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vanderbilt-university/1124626-what-do-nashville.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vanderbilt-university/1124626-what-do-nashville.html</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vanderbilt-university/846743-visiting-vanderbilt.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vanderbilt-university/846743-visiting-vanderbilt.html</a></p>
<p>I hope you and your d enjoy your visit. My d is a 2009 alum, and we always looked forward to spending time on campus and in the surrounding area. If I had only 3 hours and wanted heat relief, I’d go over to Centennial Park and spend time in the Parthenon, which houses an interesting museum, then have lunch in one of the neat restaurants in the Hillsboro Village area. But I’m sure others will post more music-oriented ideas.</p>
<p>We visited Vandy during March on our way to Orlando (Harry related, not college related LOL) and so didn’t have any time to see Nashville but my daughter LOVED it there. It’s probably her first choice (reach) at this point, though I don’t see her going Greek at all and don’t know how to get her to see what the Greek life emphasis there really means. </p>
<p>We just thought they had an excellent presentation, a good solid, comprehensive tour and a gorgeous campus.</p>
<p>Music Row in Nashville, including the Ryman Auditorium and a lot of bars with live music, is on Broadway, which runs from the Vanderbilt Campus to the river. The heart of Music Row is about a mile from the campus. I wouldn’t assume that nothing is happening on a Monday night.</p>
<p>If you want a quick fun restaurant that is close to campus I’d suggest SATCO (San Antonio Taco Company) which is right across the campus on 21st Avenue, or Pancake Pantry or Fido in Hillsboro Village, which is just South of the official campus. Fido is a cool little coffee house that also has sandwiches & salads. </p>
<p>For museums, as already mentioned, I’d go to the Parthenon in Centennial Park (just across from the west side of campus) or the Country Music Hall of Fame (not walkable, I’d drive there.) </p>
<p>For evening/music, a stroll down Broadway from about 2nd-6th avenue could be fun; it’s a little honky tonk and a little cheesy but tourists love it. Closer to Vanderbilt and off Music Row is a strip of restaurants on Demonbreun: Tin Roof, Dan McGuinness and Red Rooster. You can find them on this map: <a href=“http://www.visitmusiccity.com/downloads/1311265462.54627300_e84083ef55/generic.WEnd.2p.pdf[/url]”>http://www.visitmusiccity.com/downloads/1311265462.54627300_e84083ef55/generic.WEnd.2p.pdf</a> If you’d be more into a singer songwriter vibe, a quick drive into Green Hills would take you to the Bluebird Cafe.</p>
<p>There is always live music on Broadway and 2nd Ave area- even on Monday night.
Music Row is actually where the studios are and NOT the live music venues and it is not Broadway but rather 16th/17th Ave South near Belmont/Vanderbilt. It is fun to drive around there and see the signs in front of the major studios congratulating the artists for the latest number 1 hits and/or awards.</p>
<p>i’m also visiting Vanderbilt this coming Monday, and my parents and I are planning to visit the Hermitage and the Belle Meade plantation. I think there’s also a trolley tour of downtown Nashville that we might do. I also really want to see the Parthenon.</p>
<p>If you are going to be there in the early evening give The Listening Room a try. The food is decent, music sets start as early as 5pm and tables can be reserved. It is in the downtown area about 4 blocks from Broadway. It is also close to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.</p>
<p>The Warhol exhibit that is currently at the Frist is supposed to be really good.</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>What type of music interests your D? If she likes country, the downtown places are good. The Hard Rock Cafe is downtown (not sure what kind of music they have). If she likes singer-songwriter, there are a number of places to check out … you can see who might be there when you are in town: The Cannery Ballroom (also Mercy Lounge, a smaller venue within the Cannery), the Exit/Inn, Third and Lindsley (they have a Music City Unsigned 4th anniversary party next Monday - 6:30, only $5, and some really good artists will be playing), The Basement (at Grimey’s Records - also worth a trip). We stayed at the Holiday Inn Select Vanderbilt for graduation, and they have fun unsigned artist informal concerts in their lounge (I think they have something most nights). It’s not the “best” music, but there is some talent & like I said, it’s fun (very casual).</p>
<p>For food, I second Fido. Jackson’s, which is near Fido, is really good, too. In fact, there are several good places in Hillsboro. You could also check out Taco Mamacita, which is in Edgehill (I think around 18th & Wedgewood), which is near Hillsboro. In Green Hills, we like Firefly. I was in Nashville two weeks ago to visit my D, and we tried a couple ethnic restaurants: The Smiling Elephant (very good Thai) and Woodlands (vegetarian Indian) were near Vandy, and Rosepepper (Mexican) in East Nashville were all very good & inexpensive by city standards.</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>